2012 Powered Boat Drownings Cause for Concern

Powered boats figured
prominently in 2012’s drowning toll with 22% of the
year’s 93 deaths occurring as a result of powered boat
incidents.

Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) – which
released the 2012 annual drowning toll figures today – say
the 20 deaths that occurred as a result of powered boating
is 150% up on the five year annual average of eight and
cause for concern.

“The total number of drownings is
down from the eight year high of 132 in 2011 but the fact
that powered boating specific drownings is so prominent in
2012’s statistics needs to be addressed.”

WSNZ CEO
Matt Claridge says priority should be given to direct
funding into boating education for skippers, particularly
those in high-risk groups such as Maori, Pacific and males.

“Yes skippers need to take responsibility and carry out
the key safety precautions – wear lifejackets, check the
marine weather forecast, carry two forms of communication,
tell someone where they’re going and keep all gear well
maintained – but there’s also a real need for the sector
to work together to ensure those heading out on any type of
power boat receive adequate education.”

Mr Claridge says
Coastguard Boating Education train over 14,000 New
Zealanders every year, but this is a small percentage of the
estimated total of 1.3 million people that participate in
some form of boating in this country.

“The real issue is
that a lot of the people who need skipper education, don’t
realise it is necessary or available. Resources must be
made available to ensure all roads lead to skipper education
for everyone.”

Eighty-eight per cent of those that
drowned during 2012 were males, consistent with the
five-year average and slightly up on 2011.

Matt Claridge
says that until New Zealand men lose the ‘she’ll be
right’ attitude and make water safety a priority this
isn’t likely to change.

“If we can drive change in the
behavior of our men, New Zealand wouldn’t have one of the
worst drowning tolls in the developed world (third only to
Finland and Brazil).”

Matt Claridge says there are some
positive signs that the message is getting through to high
risk groups – for example two people of Asian descent
drowned in 2012, compared to 19 in 2011 and a five year
average of eight.

The number of pre-school children that
drowned is also down in 2012, with three deaths compared to
14 in 2011 and a five-year average of nine each year.

Mr
Claridge says there’s still a huge amount of work to be
done.

“In 2013 we’ll be continuing to work with the
sector to educate the priority high risk groups such as men,
parents of pre-schoolers, boaties and ethnic groups.
There’s no reason why – with the help of the whole
nation – we can’t lower our toll towards zero.”

So
far this year (as at 9 January) there have been three
drownings in New Zealand waters.

“Let’s make water
safety a major focus for 2013. Too many people are losing
their loved ones to drowning in this country.”

To be
updated on how to keep safe in and around the water visit www.watersafety.org.nz and read the
water safety code.

Other National 2012
Statistics

• 13 people drowned as a result of accidental
immersion – that is where they had no intention of
entering the water. This is well below the five year average
of 27 annually.• 15 people drowned while swimming –
one less than 2011 and on a par with the five year annual
average.• Land based fishing is still a high risk
activity with ten people drowning in 2012 – this is one
less than 2011 and two above the five year average annual
figure.• All regions – except for Wellington,
Taranaki and Southland – had fewer drownings in 2012
compared to the previous year.• Gisborne,
Nelson/Tasman and the Hawke’s Bay were the only three
regions where no drownings occurred.• In 2012,
offshore drownings – at 24 deaths – overtook beaches
(18 deaths) and rivers (16 deaths) as the main drowning
environment.• Pacific Islanders were the only ethnic
group to experience an increase in drownings – 11 compared
to nine in
2011.

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